Manual key



Oct. 14,1930. H. H. :05

MANUkL KEY Filed July 12, 1929 A attached to an L-shaped Patented Oct. 14, 1930 NITED STATES PATEN'I OFFICE HARRY H. IDE, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

. AMERICAN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INQ, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF Application filed July 12, 1929. Serial No. 377,678.

This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in manually operated types of keys, and the principal object is the provision of improved means whereby the key is more easily assembled and a more rugged and simplified structure evolved.

A feature of the invention resides in the means whereby the contact springs controlled by the key are first assembled in units'and then attached to the frame of the key.

Another feature resides in the provision of a bracket upon which the contact springs are mounted or assembled separate from the key mounting frame, and after having been as- 5 sembled may be attached to the frame of the key.

In the usual form of construction in this type of key four separate sets of contact springs are provided, two on each side of the frame of the key so they will be operated by the key handle in pairs. These contact spring sets are usually assembled and attached directly to the key frame by means of screws, two screws being provided for each 23 set of contact springs. This method necessitated the proper alignment and adjustment of the contact springs after they had been at-' tached and fastened by the screws onto the key frame proper. In addition to this, where so the keys of'this type are mounted in rows on a switchboard if at any time it became necessary tochange the spring combination or adjust the tension of the springs, or replace a broken part or repair it, the proceedure was 3 to dismount the complete key, thereby entailmg-considerable expense and labor.

Applicant has overcome these various defects by his invention in combination is first assembled and securely bracket by means of two screws, two spring combinations bein I acmommodated on each bracket. This bracket is then attached to the key mounting frame by means of a single screw and also pro- 15 vided with additional means on the bracket board or any other that a contact spring ed on the upper end of the for securely holding it to the frame. It therefore requires merely a single screw to hold the two spring combinations onto the frame of the key, where formerly it would require four screws for two sets of springs. In addition to this the bracket is readily removable for changing or adjusting the spring combmations.

urther objects cation, which together with the drawings constitute a preferred embodiment of the invention.'

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a slde yiew of the completely assembled key of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an end right hand thereof but with the spring combinations removed from the front of the mounting frame, and with only-one spring combination shown in the rear. 1

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of Fig. 1 illustrating the position of the two brackets on the mounting frame and upon which the four sets of contact springs are mounte Fig. 4 is a perspective rear view of one of the brackets upon which two sets of contact springs are mounted.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the key consists primarily of the mounting plate3, having a screw hole on each end thereof whereby the key may be mounted in position on a switchports the mounting frame 2 by means of four screws, 24, threaded to the top 'of plate 3 and extending into the'frame 2. The cam 24 is pivoted on the bearing 6 extending through each side of the mounting frame 2, and extends beyond the top of the plate 3. Threadcam 4 is the hand of insulating maon the lower end operating lever 5 which is terial. Secured on a shaft of cam 4 are the insulating rollers 7, nor

mally restingbetween each set of contact view of Fig. 1 from the,

and features will be brought outin the detailed description of the specifi- 56 place. This plate supsprings. 4 Moving the 1ever'5to the left rolocking and operates the contact springs opposite side.

only momentarily. At the left side the periphery of the cam 4 is provided with an other projection, which it will be noted is formed at a lower elevation than the projection on the right, so that rotating the lever 5 to the'right the projection will strike the lower edge of the plate 3 in such a position that the key will remain in locked position and maintain the left hand set of contact springs operated.

The mounting frame 2 is provided at 17 and 18 with a-ridge on each side formed integral therewith '(see Fig. 2). These ridges, it will be observed, provide resting places for the flat insulated members 14 and limit the.

movement of the contact springs so they will bear with only a certain amount of pressure against the insulated rollers 7. The lower end of the mounting frame 2 is cut out for a short distance along each edge and has formed in its cut-out portion the pins 11 and 12 on'one side andpins 11' and 12 on the A threaded screw hole extends longitudinally between pins 11 and 12 to the opposite side between the other set of pins. Four holes 16 are drilled through the.

mounting frame 2, one being adjacent each .of the pins.

Referring now to Fig. 4, the iron bracket 9 is of L-shaped construction and one side is provided with four threaded holes to accom modate the screws 15, while the bent up portion of the bracket is provided with two holes 19 which are not threaded. Between the two holes 19 is a countersunk hole toaccommodate the head of the screw 13. In the assembly of the bracket and the spring combination thereon, the insulated plate 14 is first laid on top of the long section of the L-shaped bracket 9' and then the various insulators and springs are mounted on top of this in order for each set of the spring combinations. An iron plate 23 is finally laid on top. The screws 15 are then inserted through all the insulators, and spring combinations and threaded into the holes of bracket 9 and then securely turned in. All the spring combinations of each set and their contacts are then properly placed in alignment and the correct tension applied to each spring in the combination. This arrangement, it will be observed, comprises a distinct and separate unit from the key proper. The assembled bracket 9 and springs 21 are then laid in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 onto the mounting frame 2, the holes 19 in the bracket coinciding with the pins 11 and 12 of the -mounting frame 2, and the screws 15, extending a short distance beyond the surface of the bracket 9, being accommodated in the larger openings 16 of the mounting frame 2 and extending a short distance into the holes. A

screw 13 is then threaded into the end of the mounting frame 2 betweenthe pins 11 and 12 and securely tightened down on the counwise carries the insulating member 14 and the two sets of spring contacts which are held in place by screws as were the springs on the bracket 9. This bracket 10, after being assembled, is mounted on the mounting frame 2 onthe opposite side from the bracket 9 and is centered andheld on the frame by pins 11 and 12' similar to the pins 11' and 12' of the bracket 9. A countersunk screw, such. as 13, is inserted in the threaded opening opposite the other screw and tightened down, thereby holding the whole assembly as a unit onto the mounting frame 2. Both brackets are now held on the mounting frame 2 in the position shown in Fig. 3. In this View, it will be noted, the longer side of the L-shaped brackets 9 and 10 extending adjacent the lower side of the mounting frame 2 do not extend throughout the .full length of the frame but leave a blank space adjacent where they abut the adjoining bracket as shown at 22. This small space compensates for any irregularities in the manufacture of the brackets or in the construction of the mounting plate 2. n

In the assembly of the key as shown in Fig. 1 it will be noted that the pins 11 and 12 of the mounting frame 2 extend through holes 19 in the bracket 9 and the bracket is securely held in position on the frame by the screw 13. With this construction only one screw is required to mount the complete unit' or adjustment or a different spring combination be inserted, it is merely necessary to turn out the screw 13 from each bracket 9 and 10 and the complete spring assemblies are removed from the mounting plate 2. This saves considerable work and time, as former- .ly it required two sets of screws from each from the' frame 2, whereas in this case it is brackets on the frame.

only necessary to remove one screw. The screws 15 of each spring set which are threaded through the spring combination and bracket extend beyond the inside surface of the brackets 9 and 10. and therefore, after the bracket is mounted 011 the switch frame 2 they project a short distance into the holes 16, (see Fig. 2), which are not threaded. This further prevents displacement of the brackets' after they have been fastened to the frame 2 by the screws 13 and assists in holding the With the contact springs assembled as the unit onto the bracket 9 it is possible to more tightly compress the spring combinations and their intervening insulators by means of the screws 15, so that it would require considerable eflort to displace the spring combinations after they have been assembled. Formerly it required the tightening of four .screws, such as 15, threaded directly into the switch frame 2, and this could not be conveniently done because of the two sets of spring combinations on the opposite side of the frame. Any number of setsof spring combinations desired may be mounted on the bracket 9 in addition to the two shown, or only one set may be mounted on the bracket instead of two sets as shown.

From the foregoing it will be seen that applicant has devised a new type of spring mounting bracket, whereby the springs may be completely assembled on fore they are mounted on the mounting frame, thereby facilitating replacement and removal and eliminatingthe necessity of a large number ofscrews to hold the bracket in. place, ones'crew serving the purpose of mounting and liningup the brackets and their spring combination with respect to the frame. Only one form of applicants device has been illustrated and described, and any number of variations of the invention are possiblei without departing from the spirit thereof. It is not desired to be limited to the exact structure or form of key shown as the methods of mounting and assembling the bracket are applicable to any other similar device such as a circuit'breaker or switch key of any type. Applicant, therefore, does not wish to be limited to the precise structure shown, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a switch key, a mounting. frame, an L-shaped bracket fastened to said frame, and a pluralityof contact springs fastened to i and held solely by said bracket.

2. In a switch key, a mounting frame of rectangular cross-sectioman L-shaped bracket fastened to the narrower end of said frame, and contactsprings-monnted solely on said bracket and adjacent the side of said frame,

3; In a switch key, a mounting frame of the brackets be-- sides of said frame,

brackets parallel with the sides of said frame.

5. In a switch key, a mounting frame, a pair of L-shaped brackets having their shorter sides attached to opposite ends of said frame, and a plurality of contact springs mounted on the longer sides of each of said brackets and frame.

6. In a switch key, a mounting frame of rectangular cross-section, a pair of L-shaped brackets supported opposite each other on the narrow ends of said frame, the longer ends of said brackets resting opposite each' other and parallel with the sides of said frame, and a plurality of sets of contact springs supported on longer ends of each of said brackets and extending along the sides of said frame.

7. In a switch key, a mounting frame, a pair of protruding pins formed on opposite, ends of the lower portion of said frame, a

pair of L-shaped spring mounting brackets having means between each of said protruding pins for fastening said brackets to said frame, and a pair of openings on each bracket to accommodate said pins, said openings and said pins preventing displacement of said brackets around said fastening means.

E}. In a switch key, a mounting frame, a pair of protruding pins formed on opposite a pair of L-shaped spring supporting brackets, a screw threaded into a hole between each pair of protruding pins for attaching said brackets to said frame, and open ngs in said brackets spaced on opposite sides of said screw to accommodate said protruding pins and prevent displacement of said brackets around said screw.

9. In a switch key, a mounting frame of rectangular cross-section, a pair of protruding pins formed on each of the narrow sides of said frame, a pair of holes extending through the long side of said frame adjacent to each pair of said pins, a pair of l.- shaped mounting brackets, one being fastened'on each narrow side of said frame and having openings to accommodate said pins, and a plurality of sets of contact springs mounted on each of said brackets by screws, the protruding ends of said screws entering said holes in said frame so that said brackets will be flush with the long sides of said parallel with the sides of said IMO iso

brackets each having a plurality of contact spring sets mounted directly on the longer side thereof, means for fastening and holding each of said brackets on opposite sides 5 of the narrow end of said frame, the longer side of said brackets supporting the springs, extending parallel with the long sides of said frame sothat said brackets encircle said frame.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 10th day of July, A. .D. 1929.

HARRY H. IDE. 

